"I know you would. So you know what my answer would be. I don't need to be a big brother." He just needs a brother within reach.

Eventually Donnie does move to sit back, if Raph allows it. He feels...better. That terrible curse may still be there, but so long as he isn't anywhere near any nobles, he won't need to worry about anything awful happening again. Raph won't let anything happen. He can believe that. His universe-adjacent brother had come for him, and that's the most important thing.

"...thank you. For coming when you did... to save m- to save us."